Bread for Everybody

Introduction

Francis and I in New York restaurant.

Have you ever been hungry? Not just an appetite, I mean really hungry. In 2015 it was my first time in New York. I was a student canvassing. It was a hot summer and very adventurous. One day my partner and I left for Staten Island. It took us more than an hour to get there. We took the ferry and worked all day. The sunset is late so it was almost 8 or 9. We had to go back, that’s when we realized how hungry we were. That’s how we came to this restaurant, we ordered food out of hunger and we said it’s a lot, we’ll take it to the others. We started eating and there was not even a root or a branch left.

Let’s study together:

Bread for Everybody

What was the name of the bread that fell from heaven when Israel went through the wilderness? Exodus 16:31

We can remember the story a little. God brought them out of slavery in Egypt, crossed them across the sea, and gave them bread on the other side.

The tradition had been created that when the Messiah came, the manna would fall again. Jesus knows this and is going to take the bread to teach a great lesson.

The New Moses

1. Birth and Early Childhood

Moses: Moses’ birth occurs during a time when Pharaoh orders the killing of Hebrew male infants. Moses is saved when his mother hides him in a basket on the Nile, and he is later adopted into Pharaoh's household (Exodus 1:15–2:10).

Jesus: Jesus’ birth takes place under King Herod, who orders the massacre of male children in Bethlehem. Jesus is saved when Joseph takes Him to Egypt after an angelic warning (Matthew 2:13–18).

Key Parallel: Both figures face a tyrant who seeks to destroy them as infants, but they are divinely protected, allowing them to grow and fulfill their missions.

2. Exile and Return from Egypt

Moses: Moses flees Egypt after killing an Egyptian and later returns to deliver Israel from bondage (Exodus 2:15; Exodus 3:10).

Jesus: Jesus is taken to Egypt to escape Herod’s persecution and returns to Israel after Herod’s death, fulfilling the prophecy, "Out of Egypt I called my son" (Matthew 2:15; cf. Hosea 11:1).

Key Parallel: Both figures experience a period of exile in Egypt and return under divine guidance, symbolizing God's deliverance.

3. Passing Through the Waters

Moses: Moses leads the Israelites through the Red Sea as they escape from Egypt, marking their transition from slavery to freedom (Exodus 14:21–22).

Jesus: Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by John, signifying the beginning of His public ministry (Matthew 3:13–17).

Key Parallel: The passage through water is a pivotal moment for both, symbolizing a new covenant and deliverance.

4. Wilderness Experience

Moses: Moses and the Israelites spend 40 years in the wilderness, during which God tests and provides for them (Exodus 16:35; Deuteronomy 8:2).

Jesus: Jesus spends 40 days and nights fasting in the wilderness, where He is tempted by Satan but remains faithful to God (Matthew 4:1–11).

Key Parallel: Both endure a period of 40 (years/days) in the wilderness, signifying preparation and testing for their divine mission.

5. Giving of the Law

Moses: Moses ascends Mount Sinai to receive the Law (the Ten Commandments) from God and delivers it to Israel (Exodus 19–20).

Jesus: Jesus ascends a mountain and delivers the Sermon on the Mount, teaching a new ethic that fulfills and surpasses the Mosaic Law (Matthew 5–7).

Key Parallel: Both figures serve as mediators of God’s covenant and deliver divine instruction on a mountain.

6. Miraculous Provision

Moses: God uses Moses to provide manna in the wilderness to sustain the Israelites (Exodus 16:4–5).

Jesus: Jesus miraculously feeds multitudes with loaves and fish, demonstrating His divine provision (Matthew 14:13–21; 15:32–39).

Key Parallel: Both provide miraculous sustenance to God’s people, emphasizing divine care and provision.

7. Intercession for the People

Moses: Moses intercedes for Israel multiple times, especially after they sin by worshiping the golden calf, pleading with God for mercy (Exodus 32:11–14).

Jesus: Jesus acts as the ultimate intercessor, offering His life as a sacrifice for humanity’s sins and continually interceding for believers (Matthew 26:28; Romans 8:34).

Key Parallel: Both act as mediators between God and His people, advocating on their behalf.

8. Establishment of the Covenant

Moses: Moses establishes the Old Covenant with Israel, sealed by the blood of sacrifices (Exodus 24:7–8).

Jesus: Jesus establishes the New Covenant through His death, sealed by His blood (Matthew 26:28).

Key Parallel: Both inaugurate covenants that define the relationship between God and His people.

9. Promise of a Prophet

Moses: Moses prophesies that God will raise up a prophet like him to whom the people must listen (Deuteronomy 18:15–19).

Jesus: Jesus fulfills this prophecy as the ultimate prophet, teacher, and deliverer, bringing God’s word to His people (Matthew 17:5; Acts 3:22–23).

Key Parallel: Jesus is explicitly identified as the fulfillment of Moses’ prophecy, establishing Him as the ultimate successor.

Matthew is making it clear that Jesus is the new Moses. Jesus teaches the law in a different way, but he also brings a different bread.

Bread for the Jews

How many times did Jesus multiply the loaves and fishes? The first occasion is the best known. Jesus multiplies 5 loaves and 2 fishes for five thousand men. The second is that Jesus multiplies 7 loaves and some fish for four thousand men. Let's look at some details.

Let's go to

Matthew 14:13–21 “Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” They said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.

Details:

1. Jesus crosses the sea and goes to a deserted place.

2. Jesus is in Jewish territory. Luke says that he was in Bethsaida (Fishing House) (Lk 9:10). It was the city of Philip, Andrew, and Peter (Jn 1:44). City where Jesus performed miracles and did not believe (Mt 11:21)

3. Jesus heals the Jews sick before feeding them (Mt 14:14)

4. Matthew says that there were 5 loaves, just like the 5 books of Moses (Torah, law), also 5 thousand men.

5. They were in a deserted place after crossing the sea. (Mt 14:13) Which is reminiscent of when God gave Israel manna in the wilderness.

6. In the end, there are twelve baskets left over, as well as the twelve tribes of Israel

7. and to top it all off the Greek word used for basket is kophinos, it was only used in a Jewish context.

It is no coincidence that Matthew places so many Jewish details into the story. He wants to teach us something. In addition, the people who ate the multiplied bread wanted to make Jesus the king because they understood that he was the one sent by God (Jn 6:14-15).

The most important thing is what Jesus does with the bread. Read verse 19 with me:

Matthew 14:19 “Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds,”

You noticed the four actions of Jesus. He took, he blessed, he breaked, he gave.

TRANSITION

After this story, Jesus has a conversation with the Pharisees that has to do with bread and food. Jesus teaches them what really defiles the human being. INTERIOR AND NOT EXTERIOR.

Matthew then presents us with the story of the Canaanite woman. (Mt 15: 21-28) This woman was not of the people of Israel and Jesus is amazed for her faith.

Let's look at some details:

- She is a woman. Worthless at the time.

- She is a gentile.

- She has a demon possessed daughter.

- The disciples see it as a bother (Mt 15:23)

- Jesus does not answer a word (Mt 15:23)

- I am sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Mt 15:24)

- It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs (Mt 15:26)

- She says that she receives even the crumbs of bread that fall from the table of the children (Mt 15:27)

I imagine the disciples who were listening to the conversation thinking. "Yes Jesus, you are learning to put these gentle dogs in their place, we are the true children of God."

What they didn't know is that Jesus is playing their game to teach them a lesson. The Master takes the normal attitude they had toward the Gentiles to teach them a great lesson.

Remember that Jesus is now in non-Jewish territory and is going to do something.

This story is preparing for what is to come. Can anyone see what's coming? That's right, the feeding of the four thousand.

Bread for the Gentiles

But before Jesus crosses the sea and then heals the sick, this reminds us of what he had done with the Jews. The text of

Mark 7:31 “Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis.”

says that Jesus passed through Sidon and went to Decapolis, ten pagan cities. But there Jesus heals the sick.

Matthew 15:29–31 “Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there. And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them. So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”

Jesus does not wait for the needy to come to him, Jesus always takes the first step in salvation.

We read:

Matthew 15:33–38 “The disciples said to Him, “Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?” And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” And He directed the people to sit down on the ground; and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full. And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.”

Now the details change a bit.

Jesus crosses the sea (15:29)

Jesus is in non-Jewish territory (15:21) He is between Tyre, Sidon, and Decapolis. Phoenician cities, idolatrous people. To the Jews they were lost and did not deserve salvation.

Jesus heals the sick Gentiles (15:29-31)

The number 5 and twelve have changed to 7 loaves and 4 thousand. These numbers represent those on the other side. The four represents those who come from the four cardinal points (north, south, east, west) and the seven represents the nations displaced by Israel in Canaan. (Acts 13:19). We also see the seven in Greek contexts (Acts 6:1-6).

Now the word for basket is not kophinos, but spirydes in the Greek language, this word is only used in non-Jewish contexts.

But now comes the most important thing: We read:

Matthew 15:36 “and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.”

You can see the same actions. Jesus not only gives bread for Jews but also for non-Jews. For Jesus everyone is important, and he has made provision for everyone. Hallelujah!

Bread for everybody

At the Last Supper Jesus explained what He was doing with those miracles. The real bread was not barley bread. The real bread was him.

Matthew 26:26 “While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.””

The true Bread is the broken body of Christ. The same four verbs or actions now Jesus does to teach that He is the true bread.

No matter where you come from, there is provision for you.

There are small and large baskets galore for you.

Christ's death on the cross wasn't just for Adventists, it's for everyone.

It's not for white, black, hispanic, europeans, no, no, no, it's for everyone who believe

It's not just for good people, it's also for bad and very bad people.

The bread that Christ wants to give you today is not to fill your stomach.

As human beings we are very concerned about material and physical things.

Every day you go out to work to look for bread for your home.

It is no longer barley bread, but you go out to find to meet physical needs, pay bills, buy a house.

You accumulate money and things but your heart is still just as empty.

But today God wants to give you another kind of bread. That bread is special, it doesn't fill your stomach but it fills your soul. Ahh let me tell you that:

If your marriage is destroyed, you need to eat the bread of life.

If you feel like your life has no meaning, you need to eat the bread of life.

If your friends have betrayed you, you need to eat the bread of life.

If you're being bullied at school, you need to eat the bread of life.

Do you feel in confusion, you need to eat the bread of life.

At night you can't sleep because anxiety, depression, sadness, fear are mistreating your life, you need to eat the bread of life.

If you are enslaved to alcohol, drugs, pornography, video games, today come and eat the bread of life. Ahh come because there is bread for everyone.

Who am I speaking to today?

For a mother, a father, a young person, a young woman. Come everyone. There is enough bread for you.

Jesus said, "When I am lifted up, I will draw ALL to myself."

Christ came to save humanity and today we can celebrate. Hallelujah.

When you think you can't take it anymore, remember the broken bread for yourself. There is bread for the children and for the dogs too. Jesus gave his body on the cross for you.

Appeal

Respond to the offer of Jesus in the participation of the communon table.